I received this message from a gentleman who was thinking about getting a Prince Albert piercing:

Perhaps better late than never but at 65 is there any age factor to getting a PA? Also my penis has had the "turtle" effect of shrinking quite small (the Irish curse) but expands easily and fully when necessary. How does this affect the selection of jewelery, and more importantly on the placement of the PA hole?

PS: Your should get a Journalism Award for you body of work but I am sure the "Establishment" would never have the courage to recognize your excellent work.Are you going to be in Middle Tennessee anytime soon?

My reply:Thanks so much for your message and your kind words. Have you read my book, The Piercing Bible--The Definitive Guide to Safe Body Piercing? If you enjoy my writing, I think you'd really like the book.

There's no reason getting a Prince Albert piercing at age 65 is contraindicated medically, especially since it is in a vascular area that is very easy and quick to heal. I've done them on men in their late 70s who healed with no problems.

Of more potential concern is the turtle effect, as you so aptly describe it. There's a pretty standard placement (or small range of usual placements for a Prince Albert). It needs to be far enough from the lower edge of the urethra to encompass at least 1/2" or 9/16" of tissue when flaccid.

The photo to the right demonstrates the area of measurment. So, the concern is whether there would be excessive pressure against your jewelry when your penis is at rest in its flaccid state. It is possible that a curved bar would be safer and more comfortable than a ring, depending on how the tissue rests.

You may want to mark this spot and then try to see where and how that rests naturally when you're not erect.

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